Ashera Parthenopaeus
by Moonwolf 3000
Summary: I don't know if Tory and Ash had a kid or not so I'm just putting Ashera as their daughter. This was written WAY before I read a majority of the DH series.
1. Prologue

Ashera

_June 23, 2009 AD_

Acheron Parthenopaeus paced anxiously outside the delivery room. Soteria, his wife, had been in there for nearly twelve hours and he was getting worried. He rubbed his eyes beneath his sunglasses as Simi came back from getting something to eat, looking very pleased with herself. Ash knew that look way too well, even when she handed over the eighteen piece bucket of KFC.

"What have you done now, Simi?" He asked suspiciously, his tone holding nerves.

Simi grinned at him. "The Simi got akra-baby a present." She said sweetly and handed him a Mothercare bag. "The Simi thought it will look pretty."

Ash took the baby outfit from the bag and grinned at his demon. "Simi, you have some style." He told her, looking at the baby biker outfit. It was a pair of black jeans, black and silver booties, a faux leather jacket, a long-sleeved top and a knit hat with the Grateful Dead logo on it. "But the baby won't be able to wear this until she's a few months old." Simi pouted. "But she will wear it." He gave her a big, tight hug.

Then he heard the sound he had been waiting for: a crow-like crying from beyond the doors. He grinned as the porters wheeled Tory out and down the hall. Simi dashed after them.

"Akra-Tory, the Simi was worried 'bout you!" She cried, as the porters steered her into the private room Ash had paid for. "Where is akra-baby?"

Tory smiled tiredly. "The nice doctors took akra-baby to be weighed, Simi." She said softly as Ash pulled up a chair at her side. He kissed the back of her hand, his whiskers prickling a little. "How did Ash take it?"

Simi snickered. "Akri had tears in his eyes."

Ash chuckled. "Thanks, Simi. Now the other Dark-Hunters will think I'm a softie."

"I called them already to see akra-baby." Simi chirped happily. "Talon and Sunshine be here with Julian and Grace, Tabitha and Valerius, Selena and Bill, and Amanda and Kyrian soon. Did the Simi do good?"

Ash kissed her forehead. "Yeah. Simykey did good."

Tory's friend Kim came in holding Ash and Tory's first child together, a big grin on her face. "It's a girl." She murmured quietly. "She's sleeping at the moment but she'll want to be fed pretty soon."

Tory refused the baby when Kim started to pass her over. "No, Kim. Ash deserves to have the first hold."

"Can the Simi choose a name?" Simi asked sweetly.

Ash took the baby and looked down into her face. She had Tory's face shape for sure and a puff of black hair with a thick, red streak at the front sprouted on her head. He stared at her for a long while as Tory and Simi deliberated middle names, then carefully shifted her so that she was resting against his torso.

Tory smiled at her husband. "Ashera." She murmured and he looked up.

"What, Sota?" He murmured back.

"Ashera." She said again. "After you, Achimou."

Ash's swirling silver eyes watered. "It's perfect." He whispered as baby Ashera opened her eyes.

Unlike most babies, Ashera's eyes were not blue. They were the ominescent, swirling silver of her father's.

"Ashera?" Simi made a face. "It'll do."

Tory and Ash both chuckled.

"Ashera." Ash murmured. "Welcome to the world, my baby girl."

Simi pouted. "Can I eat akra-baby?" She asked. "The Simi doesn't like getting no attention."

Tory grinned. "Don't worry, Sim. I'm sure Katra, Tabitha, Amanda and Selena will go out shopping with you while we take care of Ashera." Still, Ash didn't stop smiling.

Finally, after waiting for so long, he had a true family.

"Hey, Dad." Katra smiled as she ran through the door, Sin hot on her heels. She kissed him on the cheek. "Simi called me and said Tory had gone into labour. Where's my little one?"

Sin clapped Ash on the back. "Nice one, daddy-o." He teased, pulling up a chair for Katra as she took Ashera from her father.

"Hey, there, baby." She murmured, brushing her cheek. "Aren't you a little beauty. What's her name?"

"Ashera Toria Simykey Katra Parthenopaeus." Ash and Tory said at the same time, then smiled at each other. "Copy cat."

Kat laughed softly as Ashera began to niggle. "I think she wants her mommy." She mused and handed her to Tory.

"C'mon, baby." She whispered, lifting up her hospital gown and guiding the baby to her breast. "That's it, Ashera."

Ash leaned over and gently kissed her. "I'm so proud of you, Sota."

"I'm proud of you, too, Acho."

-----------------------------------------

**Hey, people!**

**Isn't this totally cute?!?!?!?! I've now read **_**Acheron**_** and it touched me so much I just had to write what happened next!**

**Stay tuned and please reveiw!**


	2. Chapter 1 Gifts

Chapter One -- Gifts

_Sixteen years later..._

I smiled to myself as I listened to my Dad playing his latest Nazareth CD on the surround sound system in the living room. Him and his Goth rock. At least Mom was a little more mellow with some slow Nickleback and, occassionally, she broke out Dad's secret store of Enrique Iglasias.

My half-sister, Katra, poked her head around my door. "Aren't you deaf yet?!" She shouted over the music.

"No." I said and pulled on my leather trench coat, the one Kat had gotten me for Christmas the previous year. "I happen to like Dad's taste in music."

I dodged around Kat and her pregnant belly and hopped up onto the slim rail of the stairs. Like always, I walked down it would even stumbling. For some really weird reason, I had a very good sense of balance.

"Ashera!"

I jumped at my step-brother's voice. "Sin!" I shouted. "I nearly fell."

He smirked. "Can you get your father to turn it down? The kids are going deaf."

"Will do." I smiled and slid down the banister. I found Dad dancing playfully with Mom in the living room with Simi shaking her hair to the rhythm. "Dad!" I shouted over the music.

He turned it down enough to hear me. "Hey, baby girl." He smiled and gave me a big hug, like always. "What's up?"

"Can you turn the music down? Sin said it's making him, Kat and my neices and newphews deaf before their time." I fluttered my lashes sweetly. If anything made my Dad agreed to anything I asked, it was a simple lash-flutter.

He smiled and ruffled my dark hair. "Of course, Ashie." He turned the music down until it was just background music. "That better?"

"Yeah!" Sin called around the door.

Mom rolled her eyes. "You have more power over your father than I do, Ashie."

Dad laughed softly, his eyes sparkling. "That's only because you're infuriating."

I smiled at their bickering. Even after seventeen years of marriage, they were still very much in love. Kat and Sin had only come to stay for a little while and I missed New Orleans but, according to Dad, the other Dark-Hunters could handle the daimons. Because Dad didn't let me attend school and didn't trust a home tutor, he and Mom taught me everything I knew. Including Atlentian and ancient Greek. Kat had taught me to fight, against the wishes of my father, and I wasn't all that good at it. At times, Sin or Kat would randomly throw a knife at my head and, somehow, I would dodge it. Strange, yes, but they are still my parents and I loved them to bits.

"What do you want for dinner, Ashie?" Dad smiled, scouping me up into his arms. He absolutely dwarfed my five foot two figure at six foot eight and the hundred and fifty pounds of muscle on me. "I promised you takeout this week."

"I feel like going Sanctury to see Wren and Maggie. They text messaged me and said they would be there to see the Peltiers tonight." I grinned. "Wren promised he would teach me how to jump through time like a Kattagaria."

He rolled his eyes. "And what if we're jumped by daimons? Remember, Ashie, that Nick is still out there."

I almost froze at the sound of Dad's enemy's name. Nick Gautier was the only Dark-Hunter I knew who actually loathed Dad. Apparently, Dad had hurt him badly and he became a Dark-Hunter so that he could get revenge. Now I'd heard he was Artemis's pet. Although I'd seen a picture and thought _Jesus, Aphrodite, you certainly bistowed hotness on him_ I still knew that he would hurt me, Mum and Dad, given the chance.

"Please?" I asked, fluttering my lashes in my best and most manipulative way.

He growled and cussed softly under his breath. "I swear to the gods, Ashie, you're so spoiled."

"Yay!" I grinned and hugged him. "Thanks, Dad! You're the best."

He smiled grimly and unbuckled the dagger around his thigh to press it into my hand. "Keep this on you, Ashie." He murmured in a soft but commanding tone I knew very well. "And you know what to do if you have to confront one hand-to-hand."

"O...kay." I breathed. "But, Dad, you know I'm no good with a sword, let alone a knife and hand-to-hand combat. Me facing a daimon is, like, suicidal." He narrowed his eyes; I sighed. "Fine! I'll wear it. But don't expect me to use it well enough to kill a daimon."

He grinned and ruffled my hair. "That's my sassy little girl." He chuckled.

"Ash, why did you give Ashera a knife?!" Mom cried, slapping his arm as she walked up to me. "Ashie, give me the knife."

I looked up at Dad, then to Mom. "I'm in a Daddy's girl mood so I'm gonna do as Dad said and wear it, Mom. For protection. After all, Sanctuary welcomes daimons and apollites."

Mom smiled up at Dad. "I told you she'd want to see Wren and Maggie."

Dad rolled his eyes and leaned down to kiss her. "Shush. Go get changed, the pair of you, and tell Sin and Katra. Simi?"

The demon came off of Dad's forearm in her human form, her hair streaked with black and red like his. "Yes, _akri_?" She grinned. Simi only looked my age and, by Atlantean standards for Charonte demons, she was only a teenager.

"Go throw on some clothes, Sim." I grinned at her. "We're going out to see the tigers and the bears."

"Ooo, barbecue!" She squealed and ran to the kitchen to grab her sauce.

"Simi, no!" Mom yelled, bolting after her. "You're not going to ear the wereanimals!"

"Aww, _akra_-Tory!" She moaned. "The Simi wants barbe--"

"We'll get you all the barbecued ribs you can eat at Sanctuary, Simykey." She smiled. "Okay?"

Simi pouted. "Okay."

I grinned at her. "Don't worry, Similishious." I flung my arm around her shoulders. "Lo does the best barbecued cow ribs on the planet! She literally sets them on fire like you and Xirena do."

Simi grinned. "What are we waiting for?! Let's go!"

* * *

**Sorry, guys, but you will never find out what happens when they're at Sanctuary because I LOST THE FILE ON THE GODDAMNED LIBRARY COMPUTER!!!**

**Anyways, next chapter, we get to meet our favourite Dark-Hunter, Nick Gautier!!**

**Fingers crossed he's not too evil to Ash and Ashera, okay?**

**(Mwuhahahahahahahahahaaa...)**


	3. Chapter 2 Ice Princess

Chapter Two -- Ice Princess

The following Thursday, I awoke to snow on my window box of forever-florishing snow drops. The lake in the garden had frozen over to the point it was thick enough to skate on. I grinned to myself. I loved figure skating on the lake when winter set in and, at resquest, Dad always made it smoother than an ice skating rink. Mom had gotten me a pair of blister-proof ice skates two years previous and taken me to lessons. I'd surpassed every pupil with my skill of mimicking others movements. Dad called me a muscle mimic. Mom, Simi, Katra and Sin called me their little freak.

I jumped up and pulled on some warm clothes. As soon as I stepped out into the garden, a snowball came flying at my head. "Ow!" I yelped and found that it was Dad who'd thrown it. He laughed boystrously and I sent one crashing into his hair. "You're gonna pay for that!" I shouted, dropping the skates and running after him.

"Oh, no, I'm not!" He laughed and bolted towards the lake.

He skidded on the ice in his snowboots and landed in a heap. I snickered and pulled on my skates to glide over to him. "You need to go to lessons more than I do."

"Oh, be quiet, akribos." He snickered, ruffling my hair. "Do you like the snow? I got Savitar to put in a word for me with the Olympians."

"Aw, thanks, Dad." I grinned, giving him a big hug. "You're the best."

"Thanks."

I skated off, twisting and spinning in complicated patterns I'd seen Torvil and Dean doing when I had gone on YouTube to watch them dancing the Bolero. Mom had always said I had the grace and elegance of a swan but I didn't believe her. Or Kat. Or Sin. Or Dad. Or anyone else, for that matter.

"Ashie, get inside right now." Dad suddenly snarled.

I span on the spot and found that he was being confronted by another man. He was obviously Cajun with his dark, chocolate brown hair and golden-brown tan. Like Dad, he was tall but no taller than six feet five with a good seventy-five pounds of muscle on a frame that looked like it would weight a hundred and thirty-five pounds. He wore black leather pants and a biker jacket with a sheathed sword hanging from his waist. The pants rode low on his hips, exposing a line of flesh where I saw the shape of his hips. Gods, he had sexy hips. Long legs, broad shoulders and strong, chiselled features had me instantly smitten. Beneath the biker jacket, he wore a simple long-sleeved black top with a red bow and arrow symbol on it. On his cheek, was the same red marking, like a tribal tattoo. His eyes were electric black.

A Dark-Hunter.

"Don't make her go inside on my account, Acheron." The guy drawled. His accent was definately Cajun. "Looks like she floated down from Olympus and touched every branch on the totally sexy tree on the way down."

Dad snarled under his breath. "Ashera, go indoors and get Kat and Sin out here." He snapped. "Now!"

The Cajun smirked, pinning me with those dark eyes. "Go on then, little girl." He growled. "Go and find Acheron's bastard daughter."

I growled in return. "Don't you d_are_ call Katra a bastard!" I screamed, skating to the edge. "If anyone is allowed to diss her off, it's me."

He grinned at Dad. "Funny. She wears the same brand of shades as you. Family, is she?"

Dad placed a hand on my shoulder. "Is it any of your business?"

He shrugged. "Nope. Just curious."

I looked up at Dad. His eyes flashed to red, then black, then silver in turn, a sign that he was loosing control. "Who is he?" I asked.

"Nick Gautier." Dad hissed. "You stay away from my daughter."

Nick Gautier's eyes flared wide. "Your daughter?"

I grinned and took off my shades, flashing my swirling silver eyes. "Can't you see the resemblence, traitor?"

"How am I the traitor, kid?"

"Dude, I have a name. It's Ashera Parthenopaeus. _Remember it._" Nick flashed his fangs. I stood my ground. "Get some new material. I've faced enough daimons who've flashed their fangs to know its all for show. You couldn't kill me. You know there'll be literal hell to pay."

Suddenly, Nick vanished. Dad looked around, pulling a long, black-handled knife from his belt. "Ashie, stay beside me." He ordered.

"But I can kidnap you." A voice whispered in my ear and, arms came tightly around my waist.

"Dad!" I yelped and he whirled to face Nick.

He paled so much that I could see the blood rushing in his veins. "Let her go, Nick." He whispered. "Please. She's my baby."

Nick laughed softly. "You think I'm going to pass up an opportunity to hurt you the way you hurt me, Ash? You let my mother die. I saw her dead in her bedroom and you did nothing to stop it." His voice shook with hatred, anger that seared me right down to my very bones. "Did you know that about him, Ashera? That he let innocent people die? Like my mother, Kassim, Tabitha's sister Tia? Hell, Kyrian and Amanda died and he saved them but I could still feel my mother with me until Artemis made me a Dark-Hunter."

I stared at Dad and his eyes spoke every word. _It wasn't my fault. They weren't supposed to die. I didn't know in time_. I heard every word in my head. "I won't blame my own father for those things." I hissed.

The knife he held pressed into the skin of my throat. "Careful, Ashera." He purred, taunting Dad. "Your firey attitude will get you into trouble with me."

I shuddered as his lips touched my neck, gentle but scalding me with insane hatred at the same time. "Don't touch me." I snapped.

"C_hér_, I already am." He laughed and the scene of the back garden disappeared to reveal a white-walled room with a wardrobe, two single beds, a pair of cabinets beside them with a pair of lamps and laptops on them and two windows with blackout blinds covering them. "Welcome to my little home in Antarctica." He murmured.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

**Ooo, I love putting Nick as a bad guy! Who do you think is commanding him? I mean, it's not like he'll hurt Ashie...will he, God? No? Oh, that's g--WHAAAAT?! Oh, fuck it!**

**Never mind, God. I'll ask Brahman about it, maybe even Jehova or Zues. Yeah, Zues would probably be my best bet.**

**See ya, God!**

**Now. Back you guys -- my readers.**

**Do you reckon Nick will hurt Ashie? Give me your opinions via private messages on my profile or give me reveiws to tell me how you like the story.**

**(Please follow my rules! You shall be rewarded...)**

**----To be continued----**


	4. Chapter 3 Motives

Chapter Three -- Motives

I whirled around to face Nick and backhanded him so quickly he didn't even have time to blink. "YOU SONOVABITCH, TAKE ME HOME!!" I roared, grabbing him by the collar. "TAKE ME THE FUCK HOME!!"

He grinned and pushed me off himself, so hard that I landed on the bed. "You'll sleep there. There's a kitchen down the hall, bathroom downstairs and up. The clothes in the wardrobe should me your size -- a ten, isn't it?" He mused. "I sleep on the other bed. I'm not going to hurt you but you'd better be prepared for a little bit of a shock."

"What the hell do you think is going to shock me? Hell, I'm a halfling! Nothing shocks me more than Dad getting himself in a very bad mood." I spat.

He grinned. "Honey, I am a god. You can't hurt me."

"Since when? It's not like Artemis would bring back a lowlife like you and make you a freaking god."

"Haven't you ever heard of the Furies?" I nodded. "Well, you'll never guess who my real parents are."

I froze, both figuratively and literally. "No."

"Face it, kid." He growled. "I'm a Fury. My parents didn't want me to be raised around Deimos and the others so they sent me to Cherise Gautier. My real name is Lebbennen."

"You can't be. Dad said--"

"Yeah. Acheron says a whole lot of things." He grinned again. "And you're staying here to scare him."

* * *

_Acheron's POV_

"Ash, where is Ashera?!" Tory yelled at me, hysterical tears streaming down her face when I explained that Nick had taken her. "You must be able to find her. Please!"

I shook my head. "I can't see the future of anyone close to me, Tory, you know that." I muttered, tears dripping with little plopping noises onto my leathers. "I should've been more careful. Should've kept her inside."

"Ash, you have to get her back." She gasped, sobbing into his shoulder. "You have to find her. I don't care if you free your mother. Just find her."

I put my arms around her tight and stroked her hair. "Where's my Nextel?"

"On the kitchen table." She breathed.

I bolted to the table and grabbed my Nextel. "Calling all Dark-Hunters. I've got a major crisis on my hands and I need your help."

"What's going on, boss?" Wulf asked, his Nordic accent thick despite all the years spent in America.

"Exactly what I'd like to know." Kyrian said, his voice hushed. "What's going on, Ash?"

One by one, the Dark-Hunters got back to me, all asking what the problem was.

"Ash, what's up?" Wren asked sleepily. "Has anything happened to Tory, to Ashie?"

I took a deep breath. "Nick Gautier has kidnapped my daughter. I want global searches. I'm getting Kat to put a post on the site and through emails. We have to find her or all literal hell is going to break loose."

"How's that?"

I snarled at Nick's voice comng down the phone. "You bastard! Give me back my daughter!"

"Nick, why did you do it?!" Kyrian shouted. "Ashera has no part in this. She's innocent."

"You're my friend, Nick, and I don't want to hurt you." Wren murmured. "Please. Just give Acheron his baby back or I know for a fact that he will unleash Apollymi the Great Destroyer and end the world to get her back."

"Oh, he'll get her back." Nick snickered. "Just as soon as I get my mom back."

"_What?!_" All the Dark-Hunters chorused, some in a different language.

"I'm trading her to Stryker for my mother to be reincarnated. If you try to stop me, I'll kill her."

* * *

**OMG! I bet you've been gagging to find this out!**

**McLeaf: I have! Hey, Cass, is Ash really gonna break out Apollymi?**

**Me: What?!**

**McLeaf: I mean, he loves Ashie way lots.**

**Me: I don't know. I'm not giving it away just yet.**


	5. Chapter 4 Heart Of Gold

Chapter Four -- Heart of Gold

_*Ashera POV*_

I looked up as Nick put down the Nextel phone on the cabinet beside his bed. "My friends will come for me." I hissed, still fuming.

He smirked and slumped onto the bed. "I don't think so. Any father would protect his little girl." He said. "Acheron will give anything to save you and, I'm hoping, he may even trade Kyrian's daughter -- Marissa, isn't it? -- to Stryker for my mom."

I felt my blood run cold at Marissa's name. She was a few years older than me and looked a whole lot like Amanda, Serena and Tabitha. She could talk to animals and could move things with her mind. A real witch. And one of my few friends, my god-sister. "You won't get to Marissa." I hissed. "One -- I won't let you. Two -- my father is her god-father. Three -- the Dark-Hunters are _very_ protective of her. And four -- Kyrian would literally kill my dad if he traded her for me."

"Ash would do anything to save you, apparently. Even release your granny."

I laughed. "You idiot. Apollymi is never getting out. If I go down there, she'll help me, even if I do it conciously."

"You must be special if Ash would release Apollymi." He smirked and laid down on his bed, his arms behind his head. "Y'know, _cher_, you do have a gift."

I scoffed. "Yeah, sure, I have a gift. That's why I'm only good at figure skating."

His eyes brightened a little. "Please tell me you wear those cute outfits."

"No. It's baggy trackies and a T-shirt for me." I snapped, curling up on the bed. A thought crossed my mind then, and I hesitated as it bubbled to my lips. "Why did you take me? I mean, I know you hate my Dad and he'll probably send Simi to find me."

"That hot little demon? I fucked her, idiot."

I stared at him in shock. This cock-end had _raped_ my little Simi sister?! "It's a wonder Dad didn't murder you."

He laughed bitterly. "He curse me to die and didn't save my mother. I called on Artemis and she made me a Dark-Hunter, a special one."

"I don't like her. She tried to kill me when I was six. Apollo tried to rape me when I hit eleven. Then she got Deimos out to hunt me. As far as I'm concerned, she, as Simi says, a heifer bitch-goddess. I can't stand to even think about her. I don't care if Katra is her daughter because she's nothing like that frigid whore." I sighed when Nick's expression went angry. "Go ahead and kill me if you want. Dad will bring me back."

"Do you actually think I get a hard-on from hurting pretty little girls?" I looked up at him with contempt. He stared back at me, those dark eyes mysterious and troubled. "I don't freaking want to kill you, Ashera."

"Ash." I corrected. "My friends call me Ash or Ashie. Ashera is an old Atlantean name."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyway, I lied to your old man. Stryker didn't put me up to kidnapping you. That was Artemis."

My blood ran cold. "As in the heifer bitch-goddess Simi and Xirina want to eat?"

"Yep." He smirked. "She's after Ash's blood and she won't stop until he comes to find you."

"And he won't stop until he knows I'm safe." I hissed. "Do you have a computer?"

"No. But you have one under your pillow there." He grinned when I pulled it out. "Wireless connection with the net and the Dark-Hunter site is forbidden."

I tapped into my email address and found all of my email addresses there. So I got typing.

Sin,  
I don't have dad's email on here but Nick has kidnapped me. We're somewhere cold, I think it's Alaska, and I need you to get Hawk to run a trace on this computer. Tell my parents that I'm okay and let Kat know that Nick isn't hurting me. He's working for Artemis and she's not going to give me back until dad goes back to her and divorces mom. Tell Kat her mom is a heifer bitch-goddess and tell Simi she can barbeque Artemis and Apollo, too. I love you all so much. I'm just sitting here hoping that dad will find me by the weekend. I've got a competition coming up and I need to go to it. I promise I'll see you all soon. Can you ask dad to ask grandma Apollymi about sending me a Charonte demon to take care of me? Preferably one of Simi and Xi's relatives. I love you all.  
I'll be fine. From Ashera Toria Simykey Katra Parthenopaeus.

I sent the email and sighed. "Just so you know, I'm not one to go into Stockholme Syndrome."

* * *

DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUN!!!

Joking. This is a pretty good chapter. Ashie certainly has some courage. COMPETITION!! Who wants to write the next chapter of this story? Note: It MUST be in either Nick or Acheron's POV, not Ashera's. Closing date: 10th June 2009! Get writing!


	6. Authors Note

Author's note

I'm sorry, people, but this competition I'm running is being abandoned. My aunt is getting married next week and I need to go to all that wedding shit with her and my two little cousins. To be honest, McLeaf made the suggestion that I abort it so blame her. Laters.

--Cassie V.


	7. Chapter 5 Heartache

Chapter Five -- Heartache

_***Acheron's POV***_

My poor little girl. My scared little Ashie. She must be so afraid of what Nick might do to her.

"ACHERON!"

Sin's voice cut through the darkness in my heart and my head snapped up. "What?" I asked.

He shoved a laptop into my hands. "Read it. It's an email from Ashie."

My spine went ramrod stiff and I read the email. Ashie was safe, nervous but not scared, and wanting us to find her. Somewhere cold. Nick was working for...

"ARTEMIS!" I roared.

"What?" She snapped, appearing in front of me in a white dress.

I grabbed her by the tops of her arms tightly and, for once, I didn't feel bad about it. "Where is my daughter?!" I growled. "Where is Ashera?!"

She shook her head. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Acheron."

"YES, YOU DO!" Tory, Katra and Simi skidded into the den and stared at me as I ranted. "Where is Ashera? You sent Nick to kidnap her just to get your own back on me. Tell me where she is or I'll let Simi eat you."

Simi whooped. "The Simi has victory over the heifer bitch-goddess! Can't I eat her now, _akri_? Please?"

Just as I was about to say no, Kat and Tory interrupted me.

"Where is my sister?!" Kat shrieked.

"I want my baby back!" Tory spat.

"Where did Nick take Ashera?"

"She has a competition next week! It's her make or break!"

"Tell me, matisera, or Simi will eat you!"

"SHUT UP!!" I shouted, silencing them, then turned back to Artemis. "Where is Ashera?"

* * *

**_*Nick's POV*_**

At first, I had been a little worried about leaving Ashera Parthenopaeus on her own in the house Artemis had erected in Alaska for my use but, after I made her swear not to try and escape on Acheron's life, I was a little more confident. She needed clothes, size three, (or size seven for England) and shoes. When I had taken her, she had been wearing her ice skates.

I closed my eyes and leaned against my front door, imagining her twirling elegantly across a sheen of ice in an ice blue outfit that barely covered her tight backside with long sleeves and a halter neck. To be honest, I wanted her to go to her contest next week but Artemis - a.k.a. Artie - had commanded me to keep her in the house for two weeks.

As I opened the door, I slipped on the ice just inside the door. Hold on. Ice? Then the sound of skates scraping against ice, the slight sound of beads clinking together. "What the-" I began before I spotted Ashie skate across the hall into the larger atrium where Artemis made me keep exotic plants to give me a taste of the sun.

I got up and staggered to the doorway of the atrium to find Ashie skating gracefully across the floor, her body encased in a pair of skin-coloured tights and a crystal white figure skating dress with diamond-like beads on it. Her skin glowed a soft baby blue, an intricate kind of rose tattooed on the side of her neck in black ink. Those long, shapely leg curved around as she span on one foot, the other knee bent with the blade of the skate against her leg. I noticed that she had her iPod clipped around her upper arm in a holder with her headphones in her ears. I listened carefully and caught the sound of an old tune, one from 2009. What was it again? _Broken Strings_ by James Morrison featuring Nelly Futado; that's what it was.

When she skated out of the spin towards me, I spotted that her eyes were no longer bright swirling silver. They were iridescent, ice blue, swirling over the white and the pupil. She floated past me and I caught the scent of her dark curls. Her scent was delectable, totally gorgeous. She smelled like lillies of the valley and roses and...was that ancient power I could smell on her, the same sort of heavy scent Artemis and the other Gods/Goddesses had clinging to their skin? Yes, it was.

Suddenly, I felt the ice vanish and my carpet replace it. There was an almighty crash and I skidded into the living room to find Ashie lying on the floor, unconcious, back in her flared jeans and black T-shirt, her hair spilling over her face and back. I knelt at her side and shook her gently. "Ashera? Ashera, wake up." I snapped. "Wake up right now! This isn't funny!"

She made a little noise in her throat. To my surprise, she sat up, eyes still shut, and wound her arms around my neck, nestling her face in the crook of my neck. "_D'vire lieru hum deco, m'vecu. Piri veru. Le vecu d'vire, m'warriosel_." She murmured sleepily. "My Nicky."

I froze at her words. The language I didn't understand but when she said my name, my heart began to beat faster than I would've thought possible. She moaned in her throat and snuggled closer, her lips brushing my neck. "Ashera?" I murmured, shaking her gently. "C'mon, kiddo, wake up."

She shook her head sleepily. "Not yet." She mumbled. "Still sleepy, Nicky."

"C'mon, _cher_. If you're going to sleep, I need to take you upstairs to your bedroom."

"No." She groaned. "Want to sleep here. You're warm and smell good."

I was surprised by how childish she sounded. She had sounded more adult before but now she just sounded like a five-year-old. "You don't wanna do that."

"Yeah, I do. You're comfy. Smell good. Feel nice." She nuzzled my neck gently with her lips. "_Le vecu d'vire_. You're safe. Sweet. My Nicky."

I shook my head. "I must be insane." I mumbled and hooked my arm underneath her knees to pick her up. She groaned softly and hugged me tighter. "C'mon then, _cher_. Let's get you upstairs."

"Stay with me." She whispered. "Stay with me, Nick."

I stroked her head and kissed her head. "Okay. I'll stay with you, Ashera. I promise."

* * *

**_*Ashera's POV*_**

When I finally awoke from my latest blackout, I found myself curled up in Nick's bed, cuddling him, my head on his broad torso. He was stroking my hair gently, humming a tune I didn't recognise. It felt good, safe, to be held by him, to feel his warmth against my body. So good-No. Stop. Don't start bonding with him. One: Dad will kill me. Two: Nick had kidnapped me on Artemis' orders. And three: Kat had always told me never to bond with your enemy or you'll end up marrying him and having his kids. Apparently, it was how she met Sin.

"I know you're awake." Nick murmured, his chest vibrating under my cheek. "You've been asleep for a few hours."

I sat up slowly and rubbed my eyes. As I looked down at Nick, I had the maddest, strangest urge to kiss him. Those dark eyes were trained on my face, smouldering sexily in the low light from the lamp. Damn, he was sexy, so handsome he knocked my socks off. As if reading my mind, he sat up and gently ran a hand up my arm, along my shoulder, to my neck. His slightly parted lips gently brushed over mine and I made a small sound of protest against his teasing. He chuckled and leaned in closer, his mouth against mine. I moaned at the taste of his breath in my mouth, of the scent of his skin, as he deepened our kiss, playfully sliding his tongue against mine. I ran a hand up his back into his hair, closing my eyes, feeling the soft, thick strands. Gods, I wanted to slap him but I couldn't bring myself to do it. He was so experienced it made me feel stupid. Well, after all, I didn't know much about the whole kissing/sex thing. And my parents certainly hadn't taught me. They had only told me that, when I got a boyfriend, to always make sure he respected me by using protection and being gentle. And Nick was certainly being gentle with me, holding me tentatively as if I would break any second.

His lips left mine and he whispered my name, his breathing as erratic as mine. "Wow." He breathed. "You know what you're doing."

I shook my head slightly. "That was the sweetest thing I've ever done."

His eyes widened in shock. "That was-"

"-my first kiss." I nodded. "And it was very sweet."

"First kiss if the sweetest." He smiled. I could've sworn that, for an instant, his eyes had gone bright, electric blue. "I had mine with a girl in high school at prom. I used to brag to all my friends that I was a bit of a jack the lad but I wasn't. I don't treat girls like that."

"That's good." I whispered and gently brushed a lock of his hair out of his eyes. "I barely know you."

"And I barely know you. But I still like you."

* * *

**Now tell me that isn't the sweetest, cutest thing in the world!! Who reckons Ashie and Nick are a cute couple? I damn well do.**

**Reveiws please and Acheron's POV's cliffy will be continued next chapter! (No flames please!)**


	8. Chapter 6 Getting Heated

* * *

Chapter Six -- Getting Heated

***Ashera POV***

The next morning, I was perched on the marble countertop in the kitchen, I thought about the events of the previous day. God, Nick's lips had been so soft -- "No. You stop right there, Ashera Toria Simykey Katra Parthenopaeus." I growled at myself. "Stockholme syndrome is _not_ your friend." And then I sighed. I was futile. I was attracted to Nick but I couldn't let my inner diety get the better of me. I wanted to live my life as at least a half-human. But I wasn't even that. I was pure immortal. Half Atlantean god, half final fate.

The glass in my hand suddenly shattered under my grip. It was where I'd been angry with myself.

Nick skidded into the kitchen and stared at me as I released the sharp fragments of the glass, ruby-coloured blood running down my arm. "Jesus Christ." He yelped and grabbed a dish towel. I still hadn't let go of the glass. He came to me with the towel and gently stroked my face. "Ashie, can you let go of the glass? You're only going to get hurt even more if you don't." I let the shard drop, coated with blood. "There we go." He murmured and wrapped my hand in the cloth.

"There no point in doing that." I told him softly. He looked up at me with shocked eyes. "I'm immortal, remember?" I unwrapped the cloth from my hand and showed him where the gashes had healed up as very thin, fading scars. "See? No harm done."

He sighed and brushed my hair off my face. "You really scared me there. If you'd gone home with injuries, your old man would really be on the warpath." He muttered, then cupped my face between his hands. "Y'know, _cher_, I didn't actually want to kidnap you."

"Then...why did you do it?" I looked at him through my lashes. "Why take me away from my life just because Artemis wanted to make my Dad sweat?"

"Because she promised me that I could have one last day with my Mom, to say goodbye properly."

* * *

***Acheron's POV***

"I'm going to ask you again, Artemis: Where is my daughter?" I snapped in her face, still holding her against the wall by the throat.

She sighed. "Acheron, I won't tell you until you take your hand from me."

"Kat." I sighed and my eldest took her mother's throat.

"Where's my sister, matisera? And I am really not playing games here." Katra spat, almost nose-to-nose with Artemis.

The bitch's eyes filled with tears. "Katra, why are you doing this?" She sobbed, tears flowing.

Sin grinned at Kat. "I knew I married you for a reason." He told her warmly.

She grinned back at him. "I'll let you at her if she doesn't start barking."

"Nooo!" Simi wailed. "The Simi hold first choice on heifer bitch-goddess! Barbeque sauce all the way!"

I snickered at her. Even in these situations, Simi never failed to put a smile on my face. I turned to glare at Artemis. "Are you going to tell us or can Simi eat you?"

"Then my brother will be after you." She smirked.

"I doubt that very highly."

I turned on my heel to find an apparition of my mother, the great Atlantean goddess of destruction, Apollymi. "Hey, Mom." I smiled. "Artemis has had one of my old friend kidnap Ashera." I told her flippantly. "Do you want to break a few bones?"

Apollymi grinned darkly at Artemis. "I already know where Ashera is, Apolostos." She murmured. "Alaska."

* * *

***Nick's POV***

Ashera was frying bacon and eggs in the kitchen as I dressed, the sound of the spitting like music to my ears. I loved a good breakfast and it smelled like she was truly out-doing herself. I dressed in a simple white shirt and blue jeans, loose, before I went downstairs to find her leaning on the side, sipping coke from a new glass, the cuts on her hand fully healed as if they had never happened.

I liked the way she dressed, too, not just her defiance and the fire of her soul, her passion. Long, lean, smooth legs, flat abs a swimsuit model would kill for, slender hands tipped with long nails painted with gold, full, perfectly perportioned breasts, very feminine shoulders, tiny waist, a tight, hot ass...I guess you could say I thought she was beautiful.

"Hey, Nick, how d'you like your bacon?" She smiled over her shoulder. "Crispy, normal, charred or under-cooked."

"Crispy, please." I grinned and leaned on the side perpendicular to where she stood at the stove.

At the moment, she was still in her pajamas - a pair of hot pants, a sleeveless shirt and a air of big, furry ugg boots. Her unsual fashion sense made me laugh. She thought a mini skirt, neon blue tights and a bra of the same colour was 'cool'. Strange girl.

"What're you looking at?" Ashie smiled as she served my bacon up.

"A girl who rivals Aphrodite's beauty." I blurted without thinking.

She snickered. "Don't let Aphrodite hear you say that. Besides, I'm not even pretty."

"Yeah, you're right." I paused. "You're way gorgeous."

She rolled her eyes. "Liar."

"No, I'm not." I murmured and got up, turned her face towards me. She looked up at me with innocent eyes. "I like you." Once again, I did the most perilous thing in the world and kissed those full, pouty lips that drove me crazy. God, she was so sweet, like apple blossom, Rocky Road ice cream and the tastes of all the seasons combined. She stayed inert for a moment, then her arms wrapped themselves around my neck, running one into my hair. Damn, I loved her hands in my hair, her fingertip massaging my scalp. Her free hand trailed down to the small of my back, tentatively almost. I did to her exactly what she wanted to do to me and gently moved my hands down to gently squeeze her tight ass. _Damn_. What a _great_ time to get hard.

She pulled back slowly, then glanced down at the more than obvious bulge in my jeans. Her curious gaze was almost too innocent. "Is that what happens when a guy gets excited?" She asked in wonder.

I stared at her, stunned. "Don't they teach sex ed at your school?"

She sighed and moved her hands around to rest on my stomach. "My parents home-schooled me. I don't think they really wanted me to know carnal knowledge." She leaned her head against my chest, right between my collar bones. "You must think I'm so stupid for being so inexperienced."

I put my arms around her and shook my head. "Of course I don't, Ashie. Don't you dare think that I think you're stupid because you're not. Everyone was once as inexperienced as you."

"But I don't know anything."

I sighed and kissed her soft, thick, silky hair. "Well, the first time you have sex, it hurts for a woman."

"And? What else?" She looked up at me with a cheeky gleam in her eye.

"The bacon is burning."

With a curse, she went back to the stove and attended to her bacon. "It's a damn good thing I like mine charred. Simi loves it when I cook ribs."

* * *

**Hey, people! This chapter I'd planned as a kind of rom-com/threatening/angst one, hence Ash's, Nick's and Ashera's POVs.**

**The glass idea I got from watching Harry Potter 3, followed by episode 6 of Vampire Knight.**

**Loves are needed! No flames - they'll be used to burn the giver.**

**Bye!**


	9. Chapter 7 Love Like His

Chapter Seven - Love Like His

**_*Ashera's POV*_**

Over the next few days, things revolved in a similar fashion: I would make breakfast, Nick wound cook dinner and we'd both do lunch together. During the night, we would just sleep beside each other, holding each other close, and kept each other warm. His skin was warm and soft against mine, like silk over steel, holding me protectively against his chest.

I buried my face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his unique, musky scent, like natural Lynx. His hair spilled across his face in a brown wave, his lashes nearly touching his cheeks. I liked how he looked so much younger when he slept, as if the years had been killed off, but his age was evident in his strong arms and to way he occassionally kissed my jaw in his slumber.

To tell you the truth, I couldn't been happier that Nick had kidnapped me. Against my better judgement, I was...hell, I was falling in love with him. Even though he's taken me from my family. Even though he hated my father. Even though...against _his _better judgement...he told me that he loved me back. Damned Stockholme Syndrome...but it wasn't that in the slightest. It was my emotions being muddled by this beautiful, loving man holding me through the cold night.

"You're so beautiful." I whispered, touching his smooth stubble-dotted cheek.

His eyes flared open, blue flames that slowly turned to black fire. "Is something wrong, _cher_?" He whispered.

I shook my head and pushed him gently onto his back. "No, I'm okay." I straddled his hips, my hands pressed down on his firm torso. "Just weirdly horny."

He stared at me, stunned, and rested his hands on my thighs. "Ashie...are you sure?"

I nodded. "Of course I am. I love you."

Again, he stared at me, shocked to the bone. "Wh-what did you just say?"

I bit my lip. Had that thought really escaped my brain? Damn. "I love you, Nicolas Gautier." I murmured, leaning over him in the sheer pink nightie I had on. "And I know for a fact that I'm ready."

* * *

_***Nick's POV***_

Holy. Shit.

Was this really happening? Ashie was asking me - _me_, the guy who kidnapped and frightened her outta her wits - to take her virginity? Man, this was hell of a head-fuck. Mind-bending. The girl was perfection in a young, verile, beautiful package and I didn't want to hurt her.

She slowly made her way downwards to the button of my jeans, playfully nipped my abdomen where it was exposed by the low hanging of the pants I wore to allow her some comfort. I was hard, aching for her, but I wasn't the kind of man who went around popping cherries because of a stupid bet or some shit. But her sexy innocence was too much to take.

As she released my throbbing hardness, I groaned a the sensation of the warm air tickling. "Damn, Ashie, what are you doing to me?" I hissed.

She chuckled softly and gently licked the very tip of my straining erection, causing a crystal drop to form at the end. "Is that supposed to happen?" She asked sweetly, wrapping her hand around me.

"Means I'm enjoying it." I gasped as her hand began to slowly pump up and down, her thumb stroking over the little slit at the top on the upstroke. Her name was lost in a groan when she released me to pull down the pink panties she had on. The nightie was lost to expose her full breasts in all their ripe glory, the tips distended and pink. My hands slid up from her tiny waist to those wonderful, pale gold globes. "Oh my god, Ashie."

Her expression became panicked. "W-what's wrong?" She stammered. "Am I...ugly?"

I gasped at her question - and because she let go of me - and sat up to cup her face in my hand. "No. No, no, no, Ashie. It's not that. It never would be that." I told her with as much respect in my voice as I could get in it as it shook. "You're just...you're just way too beautiful, _cher_."

She smiled, her eyes literally glowing, and leaned in to kiss me deeply, her lips and tongue like magic against mine, fire and ice at the same time. "I love you." She purred and straddled my hips again, her fingers finding my hardness again.

Then, to my shock, without any foreplay or even something to loosen her up, she sat down hard on my cock, her slick, welcoming heat like heaven. The look of shock on her face signalled that she felt the pain of her maiden's head breaking but no sound left her mouth. "Ashie?" I whispered, cupping her face with both hands. "I...does it...hurt?"

She didn't react for a moment, just looked at my face, my eyes. "You said it would hurt." She murmured. "But it doesn't. Not very much, anyway."

"Really?" I breathed. "I didn't hurt you?"

"No." She purred and undulated her hips against mine. Her moan was one I echoed as I laid back against the pillows, holding her by the waist. "The way you fill me..." She leaned down until her lips brushed mine. "...Is wonderful."

The thought of the fact that I hadn't hurt her was like a welcome.

I flipped her over, keeping myself inside her, and drove my hips deeper into her. "Oh, Gods, Ashie..." I groaned, her firey wetness tight around me.

* * *

**_*Ashera's POV*_**

Nick's large hardness filled me deeply, completely, the feeling so right it was almost as if we were connected by a million strong threads that were invisable to us. His hands stroked over my body, gentle, reverent, as if I was a goddess. His eyes flashed to the brightest, most beautiful shade of blue I had ever seen, the colour he had each time he kissed me. I'd figured out that his eyes only became blue when he was happy. But right now they were glowing so brightly they cast shadows.

His weight on top of me, our legs tangled together, holding each other so tightly it was going to be hard to let go. His lips and mine were less than and inch apart, our breaths in each others mouths, hot, hungry, needy. His head dipped down low, tongue teasing the tip of my breast, followed by his mouth. I gasp-moaned at the sensation of his hot mouth drawing on my nipple, wet drags that heightened the building weight between my legs. He chuckled against my breast, the tickle going right to my core.

"Oh, Gods, Nick..." I breathed, running my hands into his soft, thick hair.

"I...I love you...Ashera..." He whispered, then groaned, twitching inside me, alighting something glorious inside me.

I cried out in pleasure, arching my back, my fingernails leaving bloody trails down his back. "_Oh, yes! Oh, Nick!_" I screamed, clutching him tightly, one hand on his tight ass, the other scoring down his back. "_Oh, God!_"

He suddenly stopped, just as the heat inside me was on the verge of breaking. Those soft lips of his brushed over mine gently, leaving me breathless. "Do you love me, Ashera?" He whispered.

His question stunned me a little as a smile played around the edge of his lips, wicked, cheeky. Daring, almost. "If I didn't, then why would I be laying here with you inside me, your scent all over my skin?" I murmured, brushing his hair back off his face.

He grinned, a kind of smug satisfaction in his smile, and returned to thrusting deeply in to me, his face slack with need. I tensed my lower muscles as the hot ache of my climax reared it's wonderful head again, claiming me as I cried his name to the heavens. He held me, thrusting raggedly, making little noises of pleasure in his throat. With a deep growl, he shoved himself in to me so deeply, I could feel him at the very edge of my abdomen.

A sheen of sweat covering our bodies, we became limp against each other. Nick rolled us onto our sides so that he didn't crush me and just spent a little while stroking my face and hair. His eyes, as he cooled down from his orgasm, slowly returned to the black of the darkest midnight.

"I love you." He whispered as we fell asleep in each others arms.

* * *

**Now somebody tell me that this chapter isn't the sweetest in the entire story. R&R please. NO FLAMES!!**


	10. Chapter 8 Artemis

**Now, loads of peeps have been saying to me: what's Ash gonna say?! (You'll find THAT out later.) Right now, here's a little...ahem...get together I thought up with MerlynAstraea's help when she commented on a pic I'd sent.**

Chapter Eight - Artemis

**_*Nick's POV*_**

Once again, I awoke to the most beautiful scent imaginable: Ashera. I could never get tired of how wonderful that unqiue signature scent of hers is. I kissed her shoulder, moving my mouth up her neck in long, slow sweeps. Her little giggle was musical, wonderful. "Good morning to you, too, sexy." She murmured, laughing as she turned over. As her thigh slipped between mine, I felt something wet there, sticky. I realised that her scent was only stronger because she was...

"Ashie, you're bleeding." I snapped, jerking off the sheets. Blood coated the sheet and her inner thighs, a dried sheen of crimson. I clapped a hand over my mouth to keep from screaming at myself. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry."

She shook her head and got up, clutching her stomach. "Okay. Now it hurts." She whimpered and lightly tripped into the bathroom.

I stared at the sheets, then to my groin where her blood coated me. How could I have hurt her like this? I...yes. Yes, I loved her. I loved her with all my heart. Why did her first time have to hurt her so much?

"Ashie?" I called. "Are you okay, _cher_?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Her voice was steady, bright and happy. "It's okay. I've only got my period."

Crap. "I forgot to buy you tampons." I called, blushing furious red.

"That's okay. There were already some in here."

"Thanks to me."

I span around at Artemis' voice and found the red-haired goddess there in a flawless white dress. "You made me jump, Artie." I breathed.

She shrugged. "You're getting too close to her."

"I'm not!" I snapped.

She cocked a brow. "Oh? So why did you take her virginity?"

"Because she wanted me to."

"Fine. But don't you dare betray me, Nick." She spat and vanished.

* * *

**R&R please! Next chapter: NOT TELLING YOU!!**


	11. Chapter 10 The Good Life

Chapter Ten -- The Good Life

_***Ashera's POV***_

Things had settled into an easy routine soon after that night, much easier. Nick and I would wake up, have breakfast, I would let him watch me practise, we'd have lunch, watch movies, - I made him sit through the Sex and the City movie _twice_ as revenge for him making me watch Drag Me To Hell _twice_ - have dinner, make love for hours, go to sleep and do it all again the next day. I didn't even have to be touching him for that crackle of electricity to flow through me; just being in his company was enough.

One evening, as he laid me down on his bed, naked, and began to stroke my thighs, I felt a fissure of power flow through me. One almost as intense as grandma Apollymi's with its anger. I looked up at Nick as his hands moved over my stomach and around my waist. "Don't worry." He murmured. "It's your Dad getting angry, _cher_. I feel it all the time."

"Then...why don't I?" I murmured, running my hands over his back, his skin soft under my questing fingertips.

"Because, around me, you're sensetive to magic." He kissed my cheek softly and wrapped his arms around my waist. "How do you want me?" He growled softly.

I grinned. "On your back, Dark-Hunter."

He flipped us over and I straddled his hips, standing him up so that he rested against my entrance. With a fluid thrust, he was inside me once again, filling me, captivating me with his strength and purity. "Oh, God, Ashie..." He moaned.

"Do you love me, Nick?" I murmured, holding back a groan of sheer pleasure.

He stared up at me as I bent over him, his eyes turning bright blue. "What makes you ask that, _cher_?"

I avoided his eye. "I want to know that I'm not just a few days of good fucking to you."

He sat up, shfting inside me enough to make me groan. His eyes locked with mine, his warm hands cupping my face. "You're not just a few days of great sex, Ashie." He murmured sincearly. "I swear to you, Ashera Pathenopaeus, I'm not using you for my own satisfaction. I would never, _ever_ do that to someone so pure and true." His fingers feathered over my cheek. "Especially not to you. You have no idea how much you really mean to me, do you?"

"No." I whispered, my hands limp against his smooth torso.

"Words can't describe the way I feel about you, Ashera Toria Simykey Katra Parthenopaeus." He smiled and ran his fingertips down my spine. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Nicolas Gautier." I smiled and he leaned in to gently kiss me, his lips sweeter than anything I had ever tasted.

His hips surged under me, bringing a gasping moan to my lips. Nick chuckled as I moved to his rhythm, our skin brushing together, holding each other in our arms. Together, we reached our mutual climax, panting, clutching each other close, a fine sheen of perspiration on our skin.

"You know, Ashie, I've honestly never felt like this before." He murmured as we laid down against his pillows.

"Really?" I smiled, drawing little circles in the air above us with my magic. It was a trail of ice blue sparkles, falling over us but never touching.

"No. When I was mortal, I would have one date with a girl and never see her again. The only person ever to love me for real was...my mom." He sighed deeply. "I became a Dark-Hunter so that I could kill the daimons who tore her away from me so heartlessly."

I heart a sob-sniff sound come from him and looked up to find tears rolling down his cheeks. I sat up and used the corner of the duvet to wipe them away. "It hurt to think about the ones we've lost, Nick. I lost a very close friend of mine once."

"It's not the same as losing your mom, then finding out that one of your best friends could've brought her back but didn't." He snapped, clenching a fist. "You have no idea how painful it is."

"Nicky, it's okay." I whispered, stroking his smooth chest. "Your mother, from what my friends have told me, was a wonderful woman. Her name was Cherise, wasn't it?"

"Yeah." He choked out, tears spilling out of the corners of his eyes.

"Cherise was a wonderful woman, Nick." I smiled slightly and used the corner of the duvet to dry his tears. "It's okay to cry for her but she wouldn't want to see you so upset about her death."

"It's your dad's fault." He growled, eyes wild, black with anger. "He could have saved her."

"Nick-"

"No!" He snarled and surged to his feet, found his jeans and yanked them on. "I can't stand keeping you here any more!"

"Just listen-"

"No, you listen, Ashera!" Okay, that was a slap in the ass. "You don't know what it's like to lose your mom. You have no idea how much pain I went through. I helped Acheron save your mom's life and he didn't give me _my_ mother back!"

Suddenly, he wrenched me off the bed by my wrist and shoved me into a fluffy white dressing gown. Was he going to throw me out in the blizzard in just this?! "Nick, you're scaring me! Please, just-" To my surprise, he tied the robe closed and pulled me against his chest, tight, and sobbed into my shoulder, palming the back of my head. "-listen." I finished.

"I love you, Ashie." He whispered, over and over, until I returned the words to him. "I love you so much more than you realise. More than anyone can realise. Even the gods. Hell, even Eros."

"Eros is a prat, according to Julian." I chuckled, toying with his hair. "Besides, I feel the same way about you, Nicky."

"_Cher_, you never cease to cheer me up."

"And you never cease to be the hottest thing on two legs with a pulse."

He cracked a devestating smile that had my ovaries doing the cha-cha. Damn those hormones of mine. But then again...sex with Nick. _Yummy!_ "Why are you looking at me like you're about to eat me, _cher_?" He grinned.

"Because I reckon you need a little more cheering up."

He chuckled and bent his head to kiss me again. Damn, I was such a sucker for him - his hair, his eyes, his body, hell, even his _height_ - I'm a real sucker for a tall guy.

"You've always worked to please others, Ashie." He whispered. "You don't need to work hard to please me. Just knowing that it's you I'll be sleeping next to at night is enough."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

**Okay, I'm sorry this chapter is a little short but I reckon it's SO SWEET between Ashie and Nick I think I'm going to extend it a little more so that - I'm shutting up right now before I give away the ending. Bye!**


	12. Chapter 11 Devestation

Chapter Eleven - Devestation

_***Ashera's POV***_

I giggled softly as Nick yelped and fell on his butt again. He pouted and I skated over to help him up. "I'm never gonna get this, Ashie." He grumbled. "It's impossible."

"You will. It just takes-" I skated a ring around him and planted a kiss on his cheek. "-practise. You'll be skating properly in no time."

"Yeah, and falling flat on my ass again in no time at all."

I laughed and skated away from him. "I think you need a little motivation, Nicky."

He groaned. "Ashera..."

"No. Skate over and I'll kiss you." I smirked. "Either that or no physical contact with me whatso ever."

In a blur, he had skated over the twenty foot barrier of ice between us and locked lips with me. "Gotcha." He grinned, flashing his fangs and bright blue eyes, which faded to black again.

I laughed and skated away, falling straight in to a spread eagle move. "Faker."

"So?" He smiled, skating to me. "You're so beautiful, Ashie."

"You've told me often-"

I didn't get any further because the front door suddenly burst open to reveal...

"Simi-sister!" I cried, laughing, rushing over to her in her pretty but vicious demon form.

"_Akra_-Ashie!" She laughed, hugging me tightly. "Nasty man didn't hurt _akra_-Ashie, did he?"

Dad stormed in right behind her, followed by Katra, Sin and Mom, brushing Simi and I to one side. "_Where is he?!_" Katra shreiked, her belly now flat. Christ almighty, she'd had the baby!

"Hey, calm down." I smiled; they all stared at me, wide-eyed. "I'm okay. Nick hasn't hurt me in any way, shape or form."

Dad took a deep breath through his nose and growled. "He. Has. Raped. You."

I shook my head frantically. "No! Daddy, he didn't!"

"NICOLAS GAUTIER!!" He roared, his skin mottling blue, his Destroyer's form coming to the surface.

Nick skated up behind me and pulled me back, terrified Dad would hurt me. "Ashie, you need to run for it." He hissed in my ear. "It's not safe here for you any more. I don't want you to-"

"Shut up." I muttered, turning to him. "Dad won't hurt me. He's too kind for that."

As those words left my lips, Dad's mottled blue arm sliced past my arm, scratching me with a claw, and pulnged in to Nick's torso.

Blood rushed from the mortal wound.

Dad wrenched his heart right out of his chest.

Nick gasped for breath as he bled. "I love you, Ashera Parthenopaeus, so I'm letting you go. Don't cry for me, _cher_. My time has come to die and be with my mom." He whispered, one bloody hand touching my face briefly before falling weakly to his side, a sigh of breath leaving his lips.

I screamed in terror, clutching Nick tightly as the light in his eyes faded.

"NOOO!!!" I cried, burying my head against his shirt, sobbing like a baby, tears streaking down my face.

Dad, back to normal, dropped Nick's heart to the floor, fell back in to Mom, Sin and Katra's arms, staring at me as I cried for Nick.

"Ashie..." He breathed, tears filling his eyes.

"I HATE YOU!!" I screamed at him. "I HATE YOU!! I _HATE_ YOU!! _I HATE YOU!!_"

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For a long while, all I could do was cry for Nick, shout that I hated my father for killing the only man I had ever felt anything for.

_"I HATE YOU!!"_

Now that I thought about it, I didn't hate my Dad. But he had killed the man I loved.

I sat on my bed, feeling the tiny life inside me and myself mourn the loss of a future husband and father. His name would be in memory of my beloved Nicolas Ambrosius Gautier, also known as Nick. My safe harbour. My fearless warrior.

My Nicky.

Everything was just numb without him.

Colourless.

Odorless.

Tasteless.

Cold to the touch.

I was...hollow...to everything.

**Oh, you guys are SO going to kill me over this chapter!! I can feel the flames already! But have no fear! There are still more chapters to come! BTW, sorry this chapter wasn't longer. I only so short and depressing.**


	13. Chapter 12 Torn Apart Dance

Chapter Twelve -- Torn Apart Dance

_Two months later..._

_***Ashera's POV***_

A knock on the door of my changing room startled me as I thought about my last night with Nick, of how wonderful and gentle he had been with me. Then about how grateful I was to know that the contest had been cancelled for the original date. I looked up to find a tall, blond man there, his blue eyes piercing in their beauty. He wore a simple black shirt and a pair of black slacks with black loafers.

"Can I help you?" I asked, tightening the lace on my skate.

He nodded and smiled. "I'm looking for Ashera Parthenopaeus?"

I nodded. "That's me."

He smiled wider and closed the changing room door, then sat opposite me. "Do you know who I am?" He asked softly. I shook my head. "Think about who you know whom I look like."

Then it hit me. "No way are you Apollo." I laughed.

"I am." He smiled.

"As in the same Apollo who happens to be Artemis' brother who killed my father and sent a bunch of Daimons to try and rape me as a kid?"

His expression went grave. "That I am sorry about."

My eyes widened. "Why are you here? Are you going to kill me now?" I snapped.

"No, little one." He shook his head. "My sister asked me to come here with her to watch you skate. She heard about your grace and skill on the ice from a one Nick Gautier."

My heart leapt. "Why would she want to know? She hates me just because I breathe."

He sighed. "She doesn't hate you, Ashera."

"It's Ashie, actually." I nodded. "Go on."

"She is jealous of you and how your relationship was with Nick." He explained. "Artemis has been alone for most of her life. She dislikes it when others she knows have loving relationships when she has no-one. Most of all, she feels that Nick betrayed her by falling in love with you."

My heart jolted again at this. So Nick had been telling me the truth. _I love you, Ashera Parthenopaeus, so I'm letting you go. Don't cry for me, _cher_. My time has come to die and be with my mom_. The memory was too clear for just mere pain. Seeing Nick lying there in the falling snow, dying from the mortal wound my father had inflicted upon him.

"Ashie?" Apollo murmured, touching my shoulder. "Are you okay?"

I nodded and sniffed back my tears. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

He smiled slightly and stroked my cheek. "Artemis was right. You _are_ a very pretty young woman." He murmured and stood. "By the way, Artemis has a surprise for you."

"I don't like surprises any more, Apollo." I muttered. "Not after the last time I got one." Which had been the night my father killed my Nicky. The only one ever to want me for who I am and not what I looked like.

After Apollo left, I pulled on my spandex costume and was interrupted by another knock. "Yeah?" I called.

Wren came in with Remi Peltier in tow. "Someone needs to apologise to you." He smirked.

Remi sighed. "Ash, I'm sorry I said you were a shitty skater who shows off at every chance. I was angry. I didn't mean it." He put his arms out and gave me a big werebear hug, practically crushing my spine. "By the way, your dad will want to restrain all the unmated weres in the stadium. They'll be killing each other to get a piece of you."

"Thanks, Remi, I really wanted to hear that." I muttered and looked at Wren. "Is he serious?"

He playfully grinned. "If I wasn't already with Maggie, I'd be chasing your tail. Not. Mainly because I know what your father would do to me."

I laughed. "I'll see you later, guys."

When they left, I finally had a chance to check my make-up. My costume was black and the tights were skin-coloured. My eyeshadow had been done in a smoky colour, one that made my swirling eyes look a little stiller, while my lipstick was a peach colour, subtle and not ostentatious in the least. My dark hair, like my father's, had turned blacker with glittery silver streaks going through it and was up in a beehive-like style with a little silver tiara nestled in there.

Another knock caught me. "Miss Parthenopaeus, you're on in ten minutes." The director called.

"Alright." I called and calmed myself with my Tai Chi breathing. Deep in through the nose, hold for two seconds, out through the mouth. I faced my reflection and smiled, trying to make myself believe that this was my shot and I had to make it. "Okay, Ashera Toria Simykey Katra Parthenopaeus. It's make or break here. You're lucky they gave you a second shot. Now get out there and show the judges what you've got in bucket loads."

_***Acheron's POV***_

"Ooo, the Simi is nervous for _akra_-Ashie!" Simi squeaked beside Kat. "The Simi hopes _akra_-Ashie does good!"

I chuckled and clasped Tory's hand. She smiled up at me. "Ashie will do great." She promised me. "She's been practising so hard."

"Yeah, I know." I replied.

But, in truth, Ashie hadn't been practising with feeling. She was...lifeless. She practised, ate, drank, came out to Sanctuary, played with her nieces and nephews, had conversations, spoke to her friends, but she did it all with the same flatness in her eyes. Like a blank spot had appeared in her soul and I felt that I was the only one to see it.

Across the stadium, I spotted two gods sitting together, one in white, the other in black. One blond, the other auburn. My stomach lurched. Artemis and Apollo had come to hurt my daughter on the most important day of her life.

Tory clutched my hand again. "Ash, don't do anything."

"Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats as our last contestent, Ashera Parthenopaeus, is about to take to the ice." The commentator said numbly.

My heart clenched. I so badly wanted Ashie to have this chance, to have her starlit career as a figure skater. The lights dimmed and the stadium went quiet.

_***Ashera's POV***_

I skated out into the middle of the rink, nerves clenching in my stomach. I hoped like hell my routine was good enough. The song I'd chosen...I'd asked Julian about getting me into a recording studio and he asked a friend to make it, one that started slow, then became quicker but not house music quick. I had sung the lyrics to it.

It was called _Love Lost_.

My beginning position was with one leg slightly forward of the other and my hands touching their opposite shoulders.

"This is for you, Nicky." I whispered. "I'm dancing in your memory."

Deep inside, I invoked my birth gift of ice dancing and my skin glowed ever so slightly blue. I felt my eyes change to glittering, swirling blue, even the whites and the pupils, as the lights lifted.

Piano music filled the air and I began my routine.

_***Acherons' POV***_

I couldn't help but stare at her, at my baby girl, as she danced to a song I had never heard before, the words touching me deeply.

_"My love has been slain_

_Lying in the snow_

_Bleeding out_

_My love lies bleeding"_

The music was slow and sad, piano, violins and a harp.

_"This heart of mine_

_It can't go on_

_Shot through the heart_

_I lie here bleeding_

_Right beside me_

_My love lies bleeding"_

The music picked up, turning into an upbeat hip-hop rhythm.

_"My heart lies in tatters_

_Why won't you just let me be_

_You touched my heart once_

_Now the memory of you_

_Is to strong to take_

_Whoever killed you_

_They killed me, too_

_Right here in the snow_

_My love and I_

_The love that I lost_

_Because of you"_

Ashie was graceful, too elegant for words, her routine absolute perfection. Tory, Kat, Sin, Simi, the Dark-Hunters, the Were-Hunters, the werecreatures, Artemis, Apollo, even the judges were on the edges of their seats!

_"Here in my heart_

_There lies a secret_

_A secret I only showed to you_

_That this invokation_

_This curse I have to live with_

_You make me stronger_

_Strong enough to fight it_

_I want to cry for you_

_But you told me not to_

_You told me you loved me_

_As you died"_

Ashie did a very hard, very complicated series of moves that had the judges smiling widely. One even had his jaw hanging open like a fish.

_"My heart lies in tatters_

_Why won't you just let me be_

_You touched my heart once_

_Now the memory of you_

_Is to strong to take_

_Whoever killed you_

_They killed me, too_

_Right here in the snow_

_My love and I_

_The love that I lost_

_Because of you"_

I almost began crying I was so proud of Ashie. Tory, Kat and Simi were already in tears just from the lyrics of the song. The singer sounded very familiar but I couldn't place where from.

_"Oh, I know I forgot to tell you_

_How much I loved you back_

_How much a respected you_

_I can't live without you_

_How ever will find you again"_

When the music paused, Ashie stopped dancing, one arm held high, the other at her side. She wasn't even out of breath.

_"I miss you_

_My only_

_My love_

_Yes, I do_

_I love you"_

As the singer sang without the music, I recognised the voice. It was Ashie's singing, her sweet angellic voice I'd heard singing along to Paramore and Evanescence every night before her bedtime as a child before she grew out of it. The music picked up and Ashie's voice became enormous with passion and fire, the same defiance Kat had.

_"My heart lies in tatters_

_Why won't you just let me be_

_You touched my heart once_

_Now the memory of you_

_Is to strong to take_

_Whoever killed you_

_They killed me, too_

_Right here in the snow_

_My love and I_

_The love that I lost_

_Because of you"_

When I focussed on Ashie's face, I saw tears running down her cheeks. Her passion was great, so great that I let myself cry. The music slowed again and Ashie's voice whispered the words,

_"Because of you_

_My love lost_

_I've become a shell_

_Of what I once was_

_Just come back to me_

_My angel..."_

She finished in her starting position, one leg slightly forward, her hands on opposite shoulders. (A/N: Danny Anders holds full rights to these lyrics. He came up with them when my boyfriend's twin committed sucide over her ex boyfriend. [In loving memory of Eskaterina 'Eski' Romanov.])

The crowds roared for her. People threw roses and I could've sworn a pair of boxers from one of the roudier werecreatures flew past my ear. My baby girl was getting a standing ovaision from the entire stadium. The judges stood and clapped, smiling!

"What a mindblowing performance!" The commentator said in a booming voice. "Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Ashera Parthenopaeus!"

Ashie waved and smiled at the crowds without the passion I'd seen on her face when she had danced, her cheeks wet. It was lucky she had used waterproof make-up or she would be a mess.

Tory and I rushed down to her as she got off the ice but she ignored us and rushed past, sobbing, to her changing room.

"Ashie!" Tory called, about to run after her but I stopped her. "Acheron, let go of me." She hissed.

"No, Tory." I murmured. "Give her a little time to calm down."


	14. Chapter 13 Raw Emotions

**Warning: I literally sobbed when I wrote this chapter. You'll see why. I know you guys will, too. It's so emotional I'm still a little teary. I feel really bad about writing this chapter, too. You'll see why in a few paragraphs.**

Chapter Thirteen -- Raw Emotions

_***Ashera's POV***_

What was I crying for? I had danced my best for Nick, used the song I sang for Nick and I had even made myself look beautiful for Nick. I knew he couldn't see me. He said that Tartarus wouldn't allow him to see anything on earth, wouldn't allow him to watch me win.

I slammed the changing room door and locked it, ripping off my tiara. I had so wanted Nick to see me. So badly.

"_Damn you!_" I spat at my reflection in the mirror and cut my knuckles open on it with a punch. Like normal, they healed up without leaving a scar. If I hadn't gotten in the way, Nick wouldn't have died. I hated myself for it. I wanted to be with Nick for ever. "_Why did you have to love me?_" I sobbed. "_Why did you have to care so damn much?!_"

There was a knock on the door. "_Akra_-Ashie?" Simi called. "Can the Simi come in?"

I sniffed and dried my tears. "Yeah, sure, Sim." I called, unlocking the door with my mind.

She came in and locked the door behind herself before sitting beside me. "_Akra_-Ashie, why you so sad? You won your competition. You gots a interveiw. What more could you want?" I faced her and my fist cracked into her face. Irrational rage filled me up from the deepest depths of my soul, making my skin hot, my chest ache. Her head snapped to the side, her lip bloody, then the stared at me. "_Akra_-Ashie, you..." Tears filled her orb-wide eyes. "You hit the Simi. Why?"

"_What more could I want, Simi?!_" I screamed tearfully and slapped her again. "_I lost the only man I could ever love without having to hide who and what I am!_" Again, I hit her, harder. "_I lost Nick because of my father!_" Yet again, I hit her, this time so hard her nose broke with a sickening crack on the tile wall. "_I loved him, Simi! Don't you get that?!_" Another backhand had her cheek bones both shatting, one under my hand and the other against the tiles. Dust floated to the floor from the tiles."_Or is 'the Simi' too stupid to realise how much I want him back in my life?!_"

She stared at me as my skin mottled black and blue, the glittery streaks in my hair going pitch black. The fear in her eyes and on her face were worse than seeing Dad or Mom crying because of everything that had been going on lately. Simi was like a sister to me. I broke down then and fell upon her, my arms tight around her, my face buried against her shoulder, sobbing so hard I had bile threatening me.

Simi cried into my shoulder in return, her pride and face hurt. "I'm sorry!" She cried. "I'm sorry, _akra_-Ashie! The Simi is stupid! I'm stupid for asking that!"

"No!" I cried. "The Simi isn't stupid! _Akra_-Ashie is stupid for hurting you! I'm stupid, Simi! Not you! I'm so sorry! I'm sorry!"

We spent a good few minutes crying it all out before Dad came in and saw how badly I'd hurt Simi. "Holy shit! Simi!" He cried and knelt before her to examine her face. "Oh, my God, Ashera, what did you do to her?!" He shouted.

"_Akri_, don't shout at _akra_-Ashie!" Simi snapped. Dad stared at her. "_Akra_-Ashie was angry at somethin' the Simi say. I half-way asked for it and _akra_-Ashie gave."

Dad gave me disappointed look. "You are in so much trouble, young lady." He snapped. "Big tro-"

"Oh, give it a rest, Ash!" Dev snapped, rushing in and embracing me tightly. "Can't you see how upset she is?" He glowered at Acheron with contempt.

Wren and Maggie followed Dev in and they all hugged me confortingly, Simi joining in. I sobbed into Wren's shoulder, clutching Simi and Dev close, letting Maggie stroke my hair gently. But it wasn't anything like Nick's cuddles, the way he used to hold me close, spoon me under the duvet to keep me warm during the night, drape an arm around my shoulders as we watched television. The way he would cling to me on the ice as I taught him to skate. I almost smiled at the memories.

But nothing could bring him back now. Tartarus was a cruel place.

"Listen, Ashie-" Dad began but was cut off by another voice.

"Shut it, Acheron." Uncle Styxx spat. He came over to me and pulled me into a strong, warm cuddle. I continued to sob into his white shirt. "Ashera doesn't need you to pity her."

Uncle Styxx wasn't really my favourite person in the world, but he had always been there when I was pissed off with my parents, Wren and Maggie were out of town and Dad had phoned Mama 'Lo' Peltier to tell her not to let me in. Now, in my time of dire need, he held me tightly the way Dad should do, stroking my hair, letting me stain his silk shirt with my tears.

"Leave off, Styxx." Dad snapped.

_***Acheron's POV***_

Fucking Styxx. First, Ashie _hurts_ Simi. Then her _friends_ hug her. Now _Styxx_ was doing _my job _and comforting _my_ daughter. My heart ached at the sight of Ashie sobbing her aching heart out on my identical twin's shirt, occassionally catching glimpses of Styxx's level glare at me. His eyes seemed to say, 'You knew she was in this horrible pain and didn't do anything about it.'

"Ashie-" I murmured.

Too quickly, she turned around and backhanded me so hard I nearly fell onto Simi and cracked my head on the wall. Stunned, I watched as she bolted from the room in the direction of the rink. Everyone was in the cars, getting to leave, outside while Ashie ran off. Simi went to run after her but I stopped her.

"Don't, Sim." I warned. "She's angry. There's no telling what someone will do when they're angry."

"But, _akri_, the Simi is sad for _akra_-Ashie!" She protested.

"No, Sim." Styxx and I said at the same time.

Dev snorted. "Whoa. Stereo."

"Like you, Remi, Quinn and Cherif never did it in a really eerie way." Wren muttered.

"Maybe Marissa, Vanessa, Benjamin and Niklos should go after her." Styxx suggested. "They're her friends, right?"

"Yeah." I sighed. "But I can hear Julian, Kyrian, Grace and Amanda leaving with everyone else."

Wren shook his head. "All kings are blind, Ash." He murmured. "The good ones see this and use more than their eyes to lead."

"I'm nobody's king, Wren." I mumbled.

"No. You're the King of the Dark-Hunters." He patted my shoulder. "You of all people should use your heart to lead."

**I cried when I wrote the 'hurting the Simi' bit. I like the Simster. She rocks. BUT MY O.C.S R-O-C-K H-A-R-D-E-R!!!!!! BTW, the quote Wren says is from J.R. Ward's Lover Avenged! I FUCKING LOVE VISHOUS!!!!! (I dispise Jane and the rest of the Brothers' wives - **_**shellans**_**.)**


	15. Chapter 14 Righteous

Chapter Fourteen - Rightous

_***Ashera's POV***_

As soon as I was out of sight, I consentrated on my intended destination: the Underworld. Immediately, I became hot and sweaty all over. For that, I hated Hades.

"Ashera!"

I turned at the sound of Persephone's voice - although I affectionately called her Seph - and smiled weakly. "Hey, stranger." I laughed and embraced her. "Is the hubby around?"

"Yep. _Hay-deeeees!_" She shouted in a very wifey way.

"You rang?" Hades muttered as he materialised just behind her. "Hey, Ashie. What brings you here?" He grinned. "I don't think Acheron would like it if you were dead. Get back to your body."

"Yeeeeeaaaah. I have a feeling this isn't a social call." Seph canted her head to the side, staring me out with her weird eyes - one yellow, one black. The contrast was rather startling. "You're after something, aren't you?"

"Yes." I nodded, looking at the floor. "Nick Gautier, the Dark-Hunter. Is he in Tartarus?"

Hades bit his lip. "His soul didn't pass here." He murmured. "And, from what Seph tells me, the Elysian Feilds are free of him."

"But that means-"

"-He didn't pass over." Seph finished calmly. "He's still with you. Did you bury him?"

"No." I whispered, fear and hope clenching in my heart. "Apollo said Artemis would take care of him for me."

The couple looked at each other and then back at me.

"Ashie, she must have his body and soul. If she has them both, she'll revive him." Seph nodded. "If she wants Nick to be happy and have a life with you, she'll let him go."

I nodded in return. "I'd best go and find Artemis now, then. Thank you for your help, Seph." I smiled weakly and flashed myself to Artemis' temple on Olympus.

"Come to rub even more salt in the wound, have you?"

I span around at Apollo's voice and found myself backing away. "Does Artemis have Nick?" I asked in a trembling voice.

"No." He suddenly grinned. "I'm surprised he hasn't come to you yet. I sent him back to earth _days_ ago."

"Where?!" I shouted, grabbing him around the throat suddenly.

"New Orleans."

"Then why hasn't he come for me?!"

"Because he obviously doesn't want you any more."

_***Nick's POV***_

What I was doing here, I had no clue. This house held bad memories, too many deaths. But it was still mine and still beautiful. Just like my Mom had been. For almost a week, I had been sitting on the kitchen floor, not eating, not sleeping, not drinking. Just smoking cigarette after cigarette, grateful I would never get cancer.

My mind slipped to Ashie. Her competition...I'd missed it.

I dragged myself to my feet and took myself into the front room, turned on a random sporting channel. The date at the bottom said that it was _weeks_ old.

"...feel to win?" The interveiwer asked.

Immediately, a picture of my Ashie, her parents, her sister, her brother-in-law and the little demon popped up. Ashie had been crying, her eyes puffy and dreadfully swollen. She managed a weak smile, although it looked authentic. "Exhilerating." She said on a breath, holding Simi and Katra's hands. "I couldn't have done it without my motive."

"And that motive was?"

"My boyfriend...he passed away recently. A gang stabbing. I wrote that song and danced my best routine for him."

Her words touched my soulless heart. She was so beautiful, so fragile in her hollow weakness. She looked exhausted, drained. Sick. Acheron's face was a happy mask but, in his unusual eyes, there was pure malice directed solely at Ashie. Had I made him _hate_ his own daughter?

"I'm sorry for your loss." The interveiwer said. "Now, what are you going to do with the money?"

"I'm going to split it up and give most of it to charities." She grinned, her eyes not lighting up the way they did when I had been alive. "I don't need the money. Just the scholarship."

My spine went ramrod stiff. "My Ashie? A scholarship?" I breathed. "Fuck that! she deserves a place in the Olympics, you prat!" I shouted at the TV.

"Where are you going to go to college, Ashie? Ivy League?"

"No. Tulane." She nodded. "I'd rather be somewhere close to home and my friends go there already. I'm thinking of taking up Ancient Classical Studies, too."

Julian and Kyrian would like that. They knew that Ashie would be top of the class regardless of her heritage. And the ice skating teachers would be blown away by her raw talent. Hell, she'd be the one teaching them!

I wished like hell Apollo hadn't told me to stay away from her, even though he liked her. _If you go to her, she'll die right in front of your filthy eyes, you bastard Dark-Hunter. She is too pure a soul to be loved by you_. That bastard's male escort voice rang clear in my head before a buzz from the door bell woke me from my stupor.

Quickly, I flashed myself into a more respectable outfit than boxers and a shirt two sizes too small and did away with the beard. I used nearly a whole can of Lynx to get rid of the stink of B/O. As I opened the door, I found Simi, Katra and Tory there, Sin and Acheron right behind them.

"You are in _big_ trouble, Nick Gautier." Katra seethed through her teeth.

"You used _akra_-Ashie like a bit of toilet paper!" Simi snapped. "Then you flushed her aways!"

"You're a scum-sucking bastard, Nick." Tory snapped. "I can't believe Ashie loved you."

Sin glowered accussingly at him. "My sister-in-law is ruined because of you, you nasty motherfucker."

Acheron stayed silent for a moment after the rest of the family got their insults out, then looked down at me with a tear in his eye. "Nick, Ashera _needs_ you." He murmured. "We've tried everything we can think of but she won't smile, laugh or even fake that she's alright any more. You're the only one who can help her now."

I dried the tear that had spilled onto my own cheek and looked around at Ashie's family. "I can't. Apollo sent me back on the condition that I don't go near her. He said that she would die if I did...that her soul is too pure to be loved by mine."

Ash bit his lip between his fangs. "Nick, please. I can override the curse with my own power. Apollo hates me, therefore he hates Ashera."

"Ash, I don't want to risk it." I shook my head. "I love her."

He glowered at me with a feral glint in his eye. "You _will_ go to her, Nick, or so help me, I will damn your soul to rot in Tartarus for eternity." He snapped. "Now get your ass together and come with us before Ashie does something stupid. We left her alone."


	16. Chapter 15 Death Of A Goddess

Chapter Fifteen - Death Of A Goddess

_***Ashera's POV***_

As I drew the Atlantean blade from its sheath, the silver glint of it almost brought me happiness. It was the only thing that would kill anyone with Atlantean god blood in them. I contemplated the blade through my tears as it shook in my trembling hand.

"Go ahead." My head whipped around at the sound of Apollo's voice. "What have you got left to live for?"

"I..." I trailed off.

"Your family has deserted you in your time of need. Your lover doesn't want you any more. Your friends are ignoring you." He shrugged. "What else is left?"

In an almost vicious movement, I unsheathed the blade and made a deep, nasty slash in each of my wrists that would never heal. I glared at Apollo. "Are you happy now?" I hissed as my blood poured from my veins onto the white sheets. "Your cunning little plan worked. Let Acheron's child fall in love with Nick fucking Gautier, then crush any hope she ever had of spending eternity with him, of marrying him...of having his children." I spat on the floor by his feet. "You're a spoilt brat, Apollo, and I actually thought you held nothing against me."

He smirked. "Oh, my dear, you of all people should know that I dispise you because you are the spawn of Acheron, the Atlantean god who broke my sister's heart and trod all over it, then wiped her off like dog shit." He snapped. "You know, Ashera, I've watched your future closely and, all the while, I found myself loving you."

"You don't even understand what love means. Love isn't about being ashamed to be seen with the one you are about. It isn't about punishment or hurt. Love is what gives you the strength you need to face anything, no matter how brutal or frightening. You're scum, Apollo, and you won't believe how much you're going to wish you were dead once my father is through with you. You're worse to me than Artemis ever was to my father. Emotional instead of physical pain."

"Apollo, stop this at once!" Artemis materialised in the room beside my bed and rushed to my side, clasping my wrist, glaring venomously at her brother. "You've done enough damage to her. If she dies, Apollymi the Great Destroyer will be unleashed and it will be the end of everything."

"Artemis...let me die..." I whispered as Apollo used his powers to make me bleed more profusely. "There's nothing left for me."

She shook her head. "No, Ashera, I care if you live or die. Nick was ordered to stay away from you or Apollo would kill you in front of his eyes."

"Just go!" I screamed at them both, my voice not my own.

The siblings vanished, leaving me to bleed out on my bed. I hoped people wouldn't mourn me. I didn't deserve it. I was being very selfish. I so badly wanted to die I wasn't being concerned about anyone elses feelings. My life flashed before my eyes - my past and the future that would never be, a grey whorl of sadness and dispair spent over an eternity, through the rise and fall of every future empire, religion and culture, through ever second, hour, month and year. Through every century until everything was gone and the Gods and Goddesses, the Dark-, Were- and Dream-Hunters, the Apollites and the Daimons were left. Until everything was dying and the world coming apart.

Until something picked me up out of the grey haze.

A voice...

A familiar voice...

A voice that made my heart race as I died...

Before long, a senseless blackness over-came me, leaving my soul to dwell in Tartarus forever...

**You guys are going to rape and kill me now. I can just feel the flames already. Don't worry! This isn't the end of an era! I'm really sorry this chapter is so short and very sad and very depressing but, hey, I AM THE GODDESS OF DEPRESSION!!!!! Yeah...on the prozac. (Not.) Laters! BTW, this is the last of a few chapters. You've got chapters 16, 17, 18 and the epilogue yet to come! Oh, yeah, one last author's note!**


	17. Chapter 16 Ashera

Chapter Sixteen - Ashera Toria Katra Simykey Parthenopaeus

_***Nick's POV***_

As Acheron lead the way into Ashie's room, I felt something was seriously wrong, too wrong. It was like black smoke was invading my senses, the bringing of a death.

I dashed past Ash and his family up to the room with Ashie's name on it in black calligraphy. When I opened the door, my knees buckled.

Ashie was lying on her bed, bleeding heavily from both wrists, her face pale, her lips tinged blue.

She was...dying...

"Ashera!" I screamed and went to Ashie's side, cradling her against myself, tears breaking from my eyes. "Don't you dare leave me! Don't leave me like this, Ashie!"

Ash, Tory, Sin, Katra and Simi sped into the room and stopped dead, staring at me as I held Ashie to my chest, begging her to come back to me.

"Ashie..." Tory sobbed, falling to her knees in anguish, tears throwing themselves from her eyes. "Not...my...baby..."

Simi, Katra and Sin fell beside her, holding each other, screaming in pain and sadness. Acheron stared at Ashie, open-mouthed and crying silently.

"Ashie..." He whispered and fell to the floor. "_NOO-OO-OO!!_" He screamed, all the fear, all the pain, all the anguish, pouring out of him in one long cry.

"Ashie! Don't leave me! Please, don't leave me!" I shouted at her, shaking her. "Ashie, please! I love you!"

**Don't. Kill. Me. I'm sobbing too, here. Sorry it's short. I only do depressing in short snips.**


	18. Chapter 17 Ashera Parthenopaeus

Chapter Seventeen - Ashera Parthenopaeus

_***Ashera's POV***_

As I awoke groggily from my sleep, I found myself cradled in Artemis' arms in her temple on Olympus, her hand stroking my brow soothingly. "I'm sorry, Ashera." She sobbed. "I'm sorry I wasn't there earlier. I should've known what Apollo was up to. I'm so sorry."

"A-Artemis?" I croaked. "Why...why am I...here?"

She sniffed and kissed my forehead. "I'm so sorry, Ashera."

"Why am I here?" I asked against with a little more force and croak.

She swiped at her tears almost viciously. "You are only here as a soul, Ashera. Your family found you just as you slipped beyond death. I was waiting and found your soul drifting towards Tartarus. Hades and Persephone would have sent you back to your body but your body is too weak."

"Can't you send me back? I don't care how. Even as a Shade would be better than never seeing my family again. Please." I sobbed. "Please, Artie."

She froze visably at the nickname Dad had used for her when he hadn't known he was a god. "Ashera, I-"

"Please!" I cried. "Just send me back! I beg you, Artie! I promise I'll be your friend for ever, no matter what you do to upset or hurt me!"

She sighed and stood up, leaving me on the bed. "Stay here. I'll be back in a moment." And she vanished.

_***Artemis' POV***_

As soon as I saw how destraught Ashera's family and friends were at her death, I felt like weaping myself. Acheron stalked over to me.

"This was your fault." He snarled.

I shook my head. "Acheron, it was not my fault. It was Apollo who planned Ashera's death. He put the knife in her hand, so to speak."

"Nothing will ever bring my baby back, Artemis. Don't you know that?"

"I have Ashera's soul in my temple." I blurted when he was about to turn away. "If you heal her body and make sure she has pleanty of blood ready, she will be able to come back as an Atlantean goddess, the way you and Soteria did. If you allow it."

His face brightened until he shone with happiness. "You would...do that for me?"

I nodded. "I like Ashera. I'm only doing this for her."

_***Ashera's POV***_

As soon as Artie returned, I saw the happy light in her eyes. "What happened?" I asked, breathless with nerves.

She smiled warmly. "You are going home, Ashie." She told me softly. "As the Atlantean Goddess of Love, Passion, Ice, Dance and Marriage."

"Whoa. Big title." I laughed, relieved, then got up to embrace Artemis tightly. "Thank you, my friend."

"You look so much like your father, Ashera." She stroked my hair back. "Are you truly my friend?" She asked.

I grinned and kissed her cheek. "Of course I am, Artie." She had happy tears in her eyes. "I'll always be your friend." I played with a lock of her red hair. "You know, you are very beautiful, Artie, and not just in physical appearence. You have a wonderful heart."

As pain engulfed me and I felt myself being dragged across cacti, hot coals and a bed of hot knives back to my body, Artie smiled a genuine smile at me and kissed my cheek in return. "We'll be great friends, Ashera Parthenopaeus." She promised.

**Please don't hurt me. This is going really well, the reveiws are fantastic and I like writing this fanfic. Even if the ending is a little depressing.**


	19. Chapter 18 Ressurection

Chapter Eighteen - Ressurection

_***Nick's POV***_

It was a miracle.

As I stood in Ashera's room where she laid, she opened her swirling silver-blue eyes, her entire body shaking. Her canines were almost two inches long, sharp as blades, harder than diamonds.

"Ni...ck...y..." She whispered, her throat so dry it sounded as if it was cracking.

"Acheron! Tory!" I shouted out the door. "It's Ashie! She's alive!"

In an instant, _all_ of Ashie's family and friends shoved into her room and crowded around her bed.

"I know this symptom. She needs blood." Urian hissed and slashed open the vein at his wrist. He held it over Ashie's open lips and she latched on to the wound in a lightining-quick movement.

Her eyes, now wide open, were red and glittering darkly in the light. She sucked Urian's blood in great greedy pulls as he clenched his teeth. Within two minutes, he was pale and shaky.

"Urian, let me take over." Wren muttered and gashed his own wrist. "She's going to need a little blood from all of us."

As I tried to pry her from Urian's wrist, she glared at me and growled low in her throat, a menacing, warning sound. I stroked her hair back, keeping my expression gentle. "Ashie, honey, if you're really in there, you need to let go of Urian." I murmured. "Please. You're killing him."

She obeyed and pulled away, licking the blood from her lips. "_More_." She snarled and latched onto Wren's arm, her eyes wild and untamable.

It was painful to watch her feed from the Dark- and Were-Hunters gathered in the room. Each time she drank almost too much, I spoke to her soothingly until the next one had slashed a vein to let her feed. Then she would drink some more.

At last, it was Acheron's turn. Ashera left Wulf's wrist and licked her lips again, then Acheron sat on the bed beside her and cupped her cheek.

"It's okay, baby girl." He murmured. "You're going to be okay. I promise." Without another word, he bit his own wrist and allowed her to feed from him, her pulls a little weaker with each feeding she had. Her eyes were dimming from the red to their natural swirling colour, the colour I so loved. The eyes I wanted to spend eternity looking into when I woke up in the morning.

She let go of her own accord and shoved Ash's arm away. "No..." She groaned. "Not...yours..."

I bit my lip and took a clean dagger from the Dark-Hunter Dragon. "Ashie?" Her eyes flickered to me. "I'm going to feed you now." I murmured and was about to slash my wrist when she put her hand in the way. "What is it, _cher_?"

"No more." She breathed. "Full up." She lazily patted her very flat abdomen with a little smile. "Can't put on any weight now, can I?"

Ash and Tory held each other close, Simi between them with Kat and Sin beside them. The others held their wives, friends, family and lovers tight, smiling with relief.

"I'd still love you if you were the size of a house." I murmured and cradled her against my chest. "I love you, Ashie."

"I love you, Nicky." She murmured, dozing off into a sleep with a little sigh.

Ash grinned at me. "I doubt she would've wanted to come back if it wasn't for you, Nick." He told me. "Thank you, my friend."

I nodded. "It's okay, Ash. I love her too much to let her go."

_***Ashera's POV***_

_"Wake up_

_"I've been waiting for you_

_"Like the sky waits for the sun_

_"Like the stars wait for you_

_"But never for me_

_"Wake up_

_"I'm still longing_

_"Hoping for your arms to wrap around me_

_"Hoping you've been waiting for me, too_

_"Wake up_

_"I've always wanted you_

_"To hold me during a storm_

_"To hold me all through the night_

_"Wake up_

_"Wake up just for me_

_"Wake up, baby_

_"Or aren't you missing me_

_"The way I'm missing you_

_"'Cause my heart aches for you_

_"Wake up_

_"I've been waiting for you_

_"Wake up_

_"I am here"_

(A/N: I own these lyrics.)

There was a soft voice singing to me, deep, low and almost romantic.

As I awoke, I found myself in Nick's strong, warm arms, held against his firm torso that vibrated as he sang softly to me. I snuggled closer and kissed his chin.

"Morning, sleepy-head." He murmured, stroking my hair back.

"Nicky?" I whispered, my throat still dry and thick with sleep.

"It's okay now, _cher_. I'm here." He smiled as I opened my eyes, his eyes bright blue and glinting with life and love. "Apollo was lying to both of us."

I growled. "I'm going to kill that bastard."

"I don't think Artemis would like that."

"Good point." I sighed and leaned up to kiss him. And what a wonderful kiss it was. Sweet. Slow. Soft. _Wonderful_. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He purred and got to his feet. "Everyone is downstairs and I mean _everyone_, Ashie. They want to see how you are."

I grinned and jumped up to grab a mini skirt, a pair of tights and a black and green longtop with black and white baseball boots from my wardrobe. Once I was dressed, I ran a brush through my hair and allowed Nick to pick me up, bridal style.

"I came back for you." I smiled at him.

"I know." He murmured and opened the door.

Swiftly, had walked down the stairs and into the den where my friends and family were gathered, including Artemis and Uncle Styxx.

They stared at me as I clung to Nick, then Dad tore me away from him for a tight, caring hug. "Oh, Gods, baby, I thought I'd lost you." He murmured, stroking my hair. "Don't you ever do that to any of us again, Ashera Toria Katra Simykey Parthenopaeus."

I grinned and ruffled his thick hair. "I won't." She smiled and released her father. "You're probably going to kill me now." She said in a nervous voice.

***Nick's POV***

I held her around the waist; she took my hand and guided it down to her belly. Shock vibrated through me like I'd been electricuted with two thousand volts of electricity. "Jesus..." I breathed. "Ash, you're probably going to kill the pair of us now but at least do it quickly."

"Why?" He asked, grinning. "There's always room for more grandchildren."

Ashie smirked. "I knew you'd know, ya big old man!" She chirped and snuggled close to me. "Daddy, I'm sorry I said I hated you."

Ash just smiled and ruffled Ashie's hair good-naturedly. "That's okay, princess. I knew you didn't mean it."

"I know." She grinned. "You were just angry and scared for me."

"It's a boy, by the way, and he's going to be a handful."

"Much like someone else I know." She laughed, ruffling Simi's hair with one hand. "Simi, will you be my baby's godmother?"

She squealed and hugged me. "The Simi will be a great godmama to new _akri_-_simi_! The Simi promises!"

**H.O.L.Y....S.H.I.T....I AM GOING TO KILL MYSELF!! IT'S COMING TO AN END!!! *SCREAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!***

**Okay, got that outta my system. I'm going to miss writing for Ashera and Nick! They're such a cute couple it's actually unfair to all the girls reading this! I have such a massive crush on Nick myself! This fanfic has been dedecated to...**

**McLeaf**

**MCTreeTheInvaderJ**

**MerlynAstraea**

**Remember**

**7sweetsins**

**Lioliplorodonshan**

**My boyfriend**

**My nan**

**And my cousin**


	20. Epilogue

Epilogue

_Seven Months Later..._

***Nick's POV***

Jesus Christ. I should have to wait this long to see my son - my firstborn! We had decided on the name Ashlin - after Ash himself, mainly because he was technically the one who brought us together. Ashlin Artemis Gautier. But, you should know by now that whatever Ashie wants from me, she gets it good and proper.

There was a sudden crow-like cry from inside the theatre and Ashie's tinkling laugh hit my ears. "Hello, Ashlin," she murmured quietly.

She was wheeled out from theatre and down the hall at a normal, slow pace until we got to her private room where Ash, Kat, Simi, Sin and Tory were waiting with Kat and Sin's five kids - Luna, Star, Sunshine, Clowd and Rayne - all asleep in the spare cots.

Ashie was half-asleep as they put the bed into position but she managed to stay awake long enough to kiss me. "I'm so proud of you," she whispered, holding my hand.

"And I'm proud of you, too, _cher_," I murmured, kissing the back of her hand as Ash and Tory took her other hands.

"Where's _akri_-baby, _akra_-Ashie?" Simi asked. "The Simi wants to see her nephew."

"They took him to be weighed," she replied softly.

Right on time, the midwife pushed a small cot into the room containing a sleeping baby boy wrapped in baby blue blankets. She smiled and left us to it.

I stared down at my son, pride and love filling up my chest until I thought I would explode. My little baby, so small and so delicate, opened his bright blue eyes to look up at me as I brushed a fingertip down his arm to his hand. His grip was strong as he gurgled, then cried out for his Mommy. I smiled at him. "I think someone is hungry."

Ashie laughed weakly as I picked him up as carefully as I could. "C'mon then, rugrat," she smiled, as Tory draped a towel over her swollen breast so that she could feed little Ashlin without giving Ash and Sin a heart attack. The baby latched on to her nipple and began to suck greedily. "Ow," she breathed, a frown on her beautiful face. "Mom, Kat, why didn't you tell me it would hurt a little?"

Kat and Tory giggled childishly. Ash, Sin and Simi all rolled their eyes at them.

"_Akri_-baby is soooo cute, _akra_-Ashie!" Simi grinned. "The Simi will love him for ever and ever and ever!"

***Ashera's POV***

As Ashlin suckled on my breast a couple of days later, I knew that I was home at last, right where I belonged with my family. With Nick and our baby boy. Who was growing fast.

I knew that Ashlin looked terribly like Nick. Blue eyed, a full head of dark hair between black and dark brown, Nick's mouth, ears and nose, my face shape and hair line. He kind of looked like my father but more like his own.

Nick smiled down at me, cheeky and full of pride. "Will you marry me, Ashie?" He asked softly, presenting me with a black velvet box.

I grinned up at him and nodded. "Of course I will, you romantic idiot!"

* * *

**It is the end! BWHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!!! I can bare it no longer! One last author's note to come!**


	21. One Last Author's Note

**I can't believe I've finished this story! I'm both devestated and relieved at the same time! R&R please! BTW, this story has been dedecated to...**

**MerlynAstraea**

**McLeaf**

**MCTreeTheInvaderJ**

**Lioliplorodon-shan**

**7sweetsins**

**My nan**

**My siblings**

**My boyfriend**

**My best friends Lydia, Jess, Chelsee, Pippa, Kat, Arron M, Arron P, Grant, Nick, Harry, Leon, Henry, Will, Danny, Anna, Cerys, Casey, Maria, Kelsey, Louis, Shaila and Maybelle.**


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